Brazil approves two new biopesticides as part of plan to promote biological inputs

In early April, Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture published the registration of two new biological pesticides. One is based on garlic extract, which can be used to control nematodes (pests of small soil worms that attack plant roots) and the other is a mite that controls whitefly, a pest that attacks potatoes, tomatoes and beans, among other crops.

The act published in the Official Journal of the Federation also registers 44 other generic pesticides, 17 of which use biological control agents in their formulation. In the last year, 40 organic products were registered.

According to the general coordinator of pesticides and similar products at the Ministry of Agriculture, Bruno Breitenbach, the aim is to encourage the use of biologicals in agriculture by increasing the number of registered products containing microorganisms already present in nature. Eight of these registered products can be used in organic farming systems.

“Estos agentes biológicos son totalmente inocuos para el ser humano y controlan de forma natural las plagas en los cultivos brasileños. Son extremadamente respetuosos con el medio ambiente y creemos que el año 2020 puede estar marcado por la cantidad de productos biológicos puestos a disposición de la agricultura brasileña”, dijo.